The RFU have confirmed eight teams have been successful in their application to join the 10-team Premier 15s league from 2023/24 at the tender stage.
Newcomers Leicester Tigers and Ealing Trailfinders have been offered a place in the league alongside existing Premier 15s clubs Loughborough Lightning, Bristol Bears, Exeter Chiefs, Gloucester-Hartpury, Harlequins and Saracens.
Former England player Giselle Mather, Ealing’s director of women’s rugby, said she was “delighted” at the club’s inclusion, while fellow ex-Red Rose Vicky Macqueen, head of women’s rugby at Leicester, said it was a “big day for Leicester Tigers”.
Two more could still be selected, with the RFU saying the league has capacity for 10 sides.
Current Premier 15s sides Wasps, Worcester Warriors, DMP Sharks and Sale Sharks are currently left out of the league.
Sale Sharks chief executive Sid Sutton said: “Everyone at Sale Sharks is absolutely devastated at today’s decision to reject the club’s application to remain part of the Premier 15s league.
“We’re all disappointed that despite the stated desire to ensure a ‘greater geographical spread’ of teams, the Premier 15s won’t have any northern representation from 2023-24.”
Worcester are “committed to working with the RFU to secure one of the final league positions”.
DMP Sharks, who had to crowdfund to stay in the league this season, did not apply to be included from the next campaign because of the increased level of investment required.
Wasps said they hoped to rejoin the league “at the earliest possible moment”, adding that they would make the move from London to Coventry to be more closely aligned with the men’s side.
Bath applied to enter a new professional women’s team in the next cycle of the Premier 15s commencing in November 2023, but were unsuccessful at this stage.
Bath chief executive Tarquin McDonald said: “We are very disappointed with the outcome of the tender process.
“We pledged our commitment to the women’s and girls’ game in May 2021 and since then we have invested over £250,000 into women’s and girls’ rugby, delivering on that pledge and putting in place the foundations for the launch of our professional women’s team.
“Our commitment to the women’s and girls’ game across our region is undiminished, and our ambition continues to be professional men’s and women’s sides playing their games at a newly developed Rec, in the heart of Bath.
“We are considering our options including a formal appeal on this outcome.”
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